CHAPTER 27

I crouch beside Connor, holding my bow at the ready. He says his ribs aren't sore anymore, but I doubt it. It's been four weeks since Chesapeake Bay.

The rabbit is fast, and if I miss this shot the hunt is off. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hits me and I turn to the side, putting both hands on the ground and breathing hard. I hear Connor shoot his bow before turning to me.

"Clara? Are you alright?" He asks, concerned.

I wait a second for the sickness to fade before replying. "…Yes. I'm fine." I reply. The nausea hits me again, not so severe as before but still enough to make me turn away again.

"You're sick." Connor says.

"Really?" I ask sarcastically. "I'm going to head back. You keep hunting."

"Are you sure?"

"I can walk, Ratohnhnaké:ton. I'll be fine." I say, standing up. I walk over to the rabbit and pick it up, pulling the arrow out of its body and returning it to Connor. With the rabbit dangling from my grasp, I head back towards the homestead. I can feel Connor's eyes on me, but I'm soon out of sight and I can see the red brick of the house. I put a hand on my stomach, leaning against a tree.

After a second, the sickness goes away and I walk inside, into the living room. I see Achilles sitting in a chair by the window, facing out towards the bay.

"Connor's still on the hunt." I say to him.

Achilles continues to stare out the window.

"Achilles? Did you hear me?" I ask.

Silence.

My heart quickens in fear. I approach the chair, where Achilles sits, a peaceful expression on his face. He isn't breathing.

"Achilles?" I ask quietly, putting a hand on the old man's shoulder. Foolishly, I think that maybe he's playing a joke on me, that he'll start laughing and stand up out of the chair and laugh at me.

But the old man stays in his chair.

I notice two pieces of paper in his hand. I pick them up, tears in my eyes, and see the writing on them. One says Connor, the other says Clara. I place Connor's note down on the table, and I open mine up, tears falling down my cheeks.

Clara,
If you are reading this, then I have not said goodbye as I may have wanted to. Still, I know neither of us are people of long goodbyes, so perhaps this is better.
You are an extraordinary woman. Your bravery, cunning and loyalty have benefitted the Brotherhood immensely. Your bluntness has kept myself and the boy in line, and you have given me a new hope in this world, so for that I thank you.
Tread carefully in regards to your relationship with Connor. Protect each other with your lives, for if the other dies you'll find life is hardly worth living anymore. Keep the boy in line, and good luck in your quest to kill Charles Lee.
I ask that you lay my bones to rest on the hill overlooking the water, there is no other place on this earth I'd rather be.
Yours in Brotherhood, Achilles.

I stare at the page, tears rolling down my face. I smile sadly through the tears as I read the letter again.

I wish we could have said goodbye in person. I could have told the old man how grateful I was to him.

I hear footsteps on the stairs outside, and I realize sadly that Connor has returned from the hunt. I sit down on the couch, and Connor enters the house. He looks into the living room and sees me sitting on the couch.

"Clara? Are you alright?" He asks.

I turn around to face him.

~!~

Connor saw Clara's face, tear-stained and grieving, and in his heart he knew what had happened. He saw the old man sitting in his chair, overlooking the bay and the note in his hand.

Connor walked over to Achilles quietly and saw his body, unmoving. Inside Connor felt as he had when his mother had died, but outside he remained expressionless. He took the note from Achilles' hand.

Connor, if you are reading this, I have failed to say goodbye as I wanted, but the time never seemed appropriate. I leave this land and all of its resources to you. I trust you now know this place has become something of great significance. A community to serve as an example of what this would-be-nation could become. But the larger and stronger it grows, the more fragile and difficult to defend it becomes. I hope your friends who are birthing this infant country understand this truth. Your unwavering tenacity and honesty have burdened you with responsibility far greater than any one man should bear. But you, if anyone, are capable. You have given an old man hope that all is not lost, and for that I thank you. I ask that you lay my bones to rest on the hill overlooking the water, there is no other place on this earth I'd rather be. I am grateful to have met you, knowing you will guide this land and these people to a better future. Yours in brotherhood, Achilles.

Connor re-read the note from his mentor, feeling an inexpressible grief in his chest. It felt as though his heart was physically being squeezed and twisted by someone. A single tear broke through his mental defenses and rolled down his cheek. He turned towards Clara.

"Are you okay?" Clara asked tentatively, standing up and making her way over to Connor.

Connor nodded silently and Clara put her hand to his cheek, wiping away the tear that sat there. Connor pulled her in closer, immensely grateful to have her, and they stood there, holding each other and grieving for their old man.

~!~

"We should give Father Timothy the news." I say, my throat closing up. Connor nods again, so we head down to the chapel and enter the small but grand building. Father Timothy stands near the altar, and I wipe away the tears, trying to seem strong.

"What is it?" Father Timothy asks peacefully as he sees us approach him.

"Achilles has passed." Connor says.

The Father's expression changes. "I'm so sorry." He says.

"He passed peacefully and with dignity." Connor says.

"A service, then?" Father Timothy asks, putting a hand on Connor's shoulder.

"Yes. Please prepare something… appropriate. I will see the grave is dug. Can you gather everyone?" Connor asks.

"Of course." Father Timothy replies.

~!~

The rain falls heavily. Achilles' grave, freshly dug by Connor, lies at the top of the cliff, overlooking the bay, just as Achilles requested. Connor and I stand at the head of his grave, looking sullenly at the coffin that lies within.

"Prayer and sermon do not suit this occasion. Achilles was not a man of God. Not my God, at any rate. But he certainly believed in a guiding force. He is at peace now, and for that we can be grateful. We lay him to rest here, atop the bluff where he made his honorable and dignified life, so he can remain that comforting presence; The Old Man on the Hill, that we have all grown to depend on. You all had your own relationships with him, your own moments, and I implore you to return here when the time is right for you and share those stories with the waves and the trees. Achilles. You will be missed. But never forgotten. Go safely, old man. Safely where your soul need rest." Father Timothy says.

Everyone bends down and places a rose in Achilles' grave. Once everyone has left, Connor approaches the grave and places a white eagle's feather on top of the coffin.

"I will make you proud, old man." He says quietly.

Connor returns to the homestead, leaving me to stand at his grave alone.

I approach Achilles' grave and cross my arms. I don't know what to say. I've never had to do this before. When Alice died, my parents locked me up in my room for her funeral.

"Well… Here I am, old man." I say. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do, here. I'm certainly not going to bare my soul to a few trees and the water." I give a small, sad smile. "I guess I want to thank you. You've been a father to me, and Connor as well. You gave us hope. Neither of us are people of a God, or any sort of deity. We believe life is what we make of it." I swallow hard, forcing back the tear that threatens to break out. "We will kill Charles Lee. I swear it. Thank you, again."

With that, I bend down. Before the ceremony, I retrieved something I think Achilles would appreciate having. I retrieved his old Assassin uniform and his hidden blades. I place them in the old man's grave, and with that I walk back to the house.

Hey guys.
When I played the game and Achilles died, I was so sad! I mean, he was the most badass old guy I've ever met\played, or whatever! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and... Leave a review! I'll see you guys after 5 of those little things that make my day!